Grain cleaner and scourer



(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. A; SMITH. GRAIN CLEANER AND SGOURER.

No. 473,794. Patented Apr. 26, 1892;

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet '2'.

G. A. SMITH.

GRAIN CLEANER AND SGOURER. No. 473,794. Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 3 sheetssheet 3.

- G. A. SMITH.

GRAIN GLEANER AND SGOURER.

No. 473,794. Patelited Apr. 26, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE A. SMITH, OF PAULDING, OHIO.

GRAIN CLEANER AND SCOURER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 473,794, dated April 26, 1892. Application filed September 26, 1891. Serial No. 406,964. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Paulding, in the county of Paulding and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Cleaners and Scourers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled .in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in grain-scourers of that class which are provided with horizontally-rotating cylinders in which the grain is freed from impurities by contact with the surfaces of the rotary cylinder and stationary casing.

The object of the invention is to provide improved devices whereby the grain is scoured and the impurities and germs separated therefrom; and the invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line as or of Fig. 1, the scrapers being removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line of the shaft, the upper part of the casing, as well as the conical cylinder, being removed. Fig. l is a detail perspective view of the metal fabric used in the construction of the conical cylinder and casing. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the scrapers.

My improved grain-scoureris mounted upon a frame of ordinary construction, the upper portion supporting a riddle which carries a hopper, into which the grain to be cleaned and scoured is fed.

The vibrating riddle-frameB has a plate I), with circular perforations, said plate having a slight downward inclination from the hopper A, the lower end thereof terminating above a trough B, which leads to a discharge-spout, through which pass substances larger than the wheat and which cannot pass through the perforations in the plate Z), such as sticks, straws, 850. At the upper end of the plate I) is a depression or trough, into which the grain falls from the hopper, and this depression receives and, retains substances heavier than the grain, as iron, gravel, &c. Beneath the upper portion of the inclined plate I) is a solid plate a, which is disposed parallel with said plate and leads to a series of metallic bars cl, carried by the riddle-frame and inclined so that the grain falling thereon will travel downwardly. These bars may be arranged either parallel to each other or diverge slightly, so as to permit the cheat and suchforeign substances to pass through the bars upon a solid plate d, which is inclined both sidewise and endwise and discharges into aspout d The grain after passing from the bars d passes into a leg or-shaft C, where it meets an upward current of air, as will be hereinafter specified. The riddle-frame is suitably supported upon spring-bars, as shown, and is vibratedby a rod connected to a bell-crank lever operated from the shaft of the scouring mechanism. One of the arms of said bellcrank lever operates a rod 6, upon which are mounted. scrapers E, which reciprocate beneath the bars cl to keep the spaces between said bars at all times open. In operating upon grain of certain character these scrapers may be dispensed with.

It will be observed that by the construction of the riddle hereinbefore described means are provided for separating iron, gravel, and heavy refuse from the grain before it reaches the securing mechanism, as well as such foreign substances as sticks, straws, &c. The grain after passing from the riddle into the leg or shaft 0 of the wind-trunk is fed through the hopper g into the scouring mechanism. The leg or shaft 0 is connected with a passage f, having a damper f, said passage being provided at it opposite end Withadefiecting-board h, below which is a receptacle for cheat, dust, and foreign particles, which 0011- nects by means of the leg h with one of the side openings in the fan-casing H. This fan receives air on both sides and discharges through an opening H below the same.

IOO

The lower front end of the apparatus is provided with openings 1' and 11', through which the airis drawn to the fan. The passage of the different currents of air is indicated by the light arrows, while that of the grain is indicated by the dark arrows.

K refers to the sections of the casin g, which are made up of sheet metal, the upper one being provided at its top with perforations 75, through which a current of air is drawn by the fan. The lower section of the casing terminates at the vertical walls of a way or trough L, having a partition-board Z, as shown. Within this two-part casing is secured a scouring-casing M, which is made up of upper and lower sections of interlocked metallic fabric, said fabric being secured to heads m and m, the smaller end of the upper section being provided with an inlet-opening n, an'inclined board 11/, and a guide-board ntthese parts moving with the adjustable scouring-casing. This casing is mountedon a shaft and is of less length than the casing K, the lower section preferably resting at one end upon cleats 0 0, attached to the inner side of the main frame, while the opposite end has arigid handle-bar for adjusting the case with respect to the conical scouring drum or cylinder. This conical scouring-case is of a different pitch or taper to the scouring-drum, so that at all times, irrespective of the adjustment, there will be a greater space between the drum and casing at the feed end than at the opposite end thereto.

of the heads 19 and 19 to which is rigidly'attached a sheet-metal casing, over which is bent andsecured a metallic fabric of wire or metal barsof theproper gage,these wires being round 1 in cross-section, the warp and woof thereof being bent to interlock, the meshes being of less size than the grain. It will be noted that the wires r,'or warp, have less degree of crimp or bend than the encircling wires,or woof, and by this special construction no sharp edges are presented which would be liable to break the;

grain, and the grain is constantly turned, so that the different surfaces thereof will be exposed to thoroughly clean the same and re- The bell-crank lever, which vibrates the rid dle and scraper, is operated by a rod connected eccentrically to the main shaft.

The scouring-drum P is rigidly mounted on the main shaft and is made up:

air cut-offs Where shown, so that the strength of the currents of air may be varied wheredesired, and the wind-trunk has a receptacle with spouts, into which the dust and light particles collected by the air-currents will be deposited.

The scouringdrum P is provided at the feed end with inclined flights S, which serve to feed the grain toward the discharge-opening.

It is not deemed necessary to specify the passage of the air and grain and the separation of the foreign substances therefrom, as

this is sufficiently indicated by the arrows.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a grain-scourer,-of

a conical scouring-drum mounted ona rotary shaft, said drum having an outer surface of interlocked wire fabric held over a solid backing, and a two-part conical scouring-case loosely mounted on said shaft and provided with means for holding the same against rotation and for adjusting the same longitudinally, said conical scouring-case having the body portion made up of interlocked wire fabric, the scouring drum and case being inclosed within a casing having air-inlet apertures in the upper part thereof, the lower portion of said case being connected by a chute or way with a fan, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination,in a grain-scourer, of a rotary scouring drum constructed substantially as shown and mounted on a horizontal shaft, a two-part scouring-case loosely mounted on the shaft and provided with means for holding the same against rotation and for adjusting it longitudinally with respect to the scouring-drum, an inclosing casing K, having perforations 7c in the upper part thereof, the lower portion'of said inclosingcasing connecting with a chute or way, and a fan for drawing air through the perforations and around the casing, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with a grain scourer or cleaner, a vibrating riddle carrying a hopper, an inclined screen b, a depression I) beneath the hopper and below the upper surface of the screen at the upper end thereof, and a trough B, connected with a discharge-spout at the lower end of the screen, an imperforate guide-plate c and downwardly-inclined bars d, placed in close proximity to each other, said bars leading into the air-leg of the airtrunk which communicates with the scouring mechanism, and reciprocating scrapers having grooved or recessed edges contacting with the under side of the bars (1, the grain-separating device being operated from the shaft 2f tlhe scouringdrum, substantially as set ort 1.

4E. The combinatiomin a grain-scourer, of a ated from the main shaft of the scourer, sub- 10 riddle B, constructed substantially as shown stantially as set forth.

and provided with a perforated plate I), an im- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in perforate plate 0, and bars cl, scrapers adapted presence of two Witnesses. to reciprocate beneath the bars cl, the scrapers having recessed upper edges, in which the GEORGE A. SMITH. bars lie, and mechanism for alternately re- Witnesses: ciprocating the riddle and scrapers in oppo- E. W. JOHNSON,

site directions, said mechanism being oper- H. S. BEALL. 

